Portulaca plant named ‘POR16000’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Portulaca  plant named ‘POR16000’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading to eventually prostrate plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large dark red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Portulaca oleracea.

Cultivar denomination: ‘POR16000’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION AND STATEMENT REGARDING PRIORDISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT

This application claims priority to a Canadian Plant Breeders' Rightsapplication filed on May 17, 2019, application number 19-9899. Therehave been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to theeffective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one ofordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed PlantBreeder's Rights documents.

The Inventor/Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisementsrelating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred morethan one year prior to the effective filing date of this application.Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPortulaca plant, botanically known as Portulaca oleracea and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘POR16000’.

The new Portulaca plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Bozen, Italy. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new heat-tolerant Portulaca plants with relativelyshort internodes and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Portulaca plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Bozen, Italy in May, 2015 of a proprietary selection ofPortulaca oleracea identified as code number POR12005, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Portulacaoleracea identified as code number POR13109, not patented, as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Portulaca plant was discovered and selectedby the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inBozen, Italy in June, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Portulaca plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bozen, Italy sinceSeptember, 2016, has shown that the unique features of this newPortulaca plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Portulaca have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘POR16000’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘POR16000’ as a new and distinct Portulacaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading to eventually        prostrate plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Large dark red-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Portulaca have shorter internodes than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Portulaca flower earlier than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Portulaca have larger flowers than plants        of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily from plants ofthe male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Portulaca are more vigorous than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Portulaca have dark red-colored flowers        whereas plants of the male parent selection have yellow-colored        flowers.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of the Portulacaoleracea ‘Pazzaz Deep Pink’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons,plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily from plants of ‘Pazzaz DeepPink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Portulaca have larger flowers than plants        of ‘Pazzaz Deep Pink’.    -   2. Plants of the new Portulaca have dark red-colored flowers        whereas plants of ‘Pazzaz Deep Pink’ have pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Portulaca plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Portulaca plant.

At the top of the photographic sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘POR16000’ grown in a container and atthe bottom of the photographic sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘POR16000’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the spring in 15.25-cmcontainers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in St. Thomas, Ontario,Canada and under cultural practices typical of commercial Portulacaproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 33° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants werepinched three weeks after planting and were twelve weeks from plantingrooted cuttings when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Portulaca oleracea ‘POR16000’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Portulaca            oleracea identified as code number POR12005, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Portulaca            oleracea identified as code number POR13109, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About eight days at            temperatures about 18° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at            temperatures about 18° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly            spreading to eventually prostrate plant habit; vigorous            growth habit and rapid growth rate.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit about five primary            lateral branches each with about eleven secondary lateral            branches developing per plant; pinching enhances branching            potential.        -   Plant height.—About 14.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 51.8 cm.-   Lateral branch/peduncle description:    -   -   Length.—About 22.4 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—Relatively short, about 1.9 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong, flexible.        -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.        -   Color, developing.—Close to 147D.        -   Color, developed.—Close to 146D; on abaxial surface, tinged            with close to 182D.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; fleshy, succulent; moderately glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137D.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; along the            margins, close to N186C; venation, close to 147D. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138C; venation,            close to 138B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; semi-glossy. Strength: Moderately strong. Color,            upper surface: Close to 147D. Color, lower surface: Close to            144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers; freely flowering            habit with 225 flowers developing per plant; flowers face            mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six            weeks after planting; in the garden, plants flower            continuously from spring until autumn in Southern Ontario,            Canada.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one day on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            moderately glossy. Color: Close to 145A tinged with close to            N77B.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.8 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 2.1 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Corolla consists of five petals            fused at the base. Length: About 2.3 cm. Width: About            2.1 cm. Shape: Obcordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Fused,            truncate. Margin: Entire, slightly to moderately undulate.            Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous, satiny;            glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;            moderately glossy. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close            to 53C with a sheen of close to N66A; at the base, close to            7A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 58B; at the base,            close to 7B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 53C;            towards the margins, close to 50A; at the base, close to 7A;            venation, similar to lamina colors; main color becoming            closer to N57A with development. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 58B; towards the margins, close to 52A; at            the base, close to 4B; venation, similar to lamina colors;            with development, color becoming closer to 53D and N57B and            at the base, close to 7B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Two fused into a tubular calyx.            Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Fused, acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and            luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly            glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 194C tinged with            close to N77C to N77D. Color, lower surface: Close to 197C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of stamens per            flower: About 78. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament            color: Close to 9A tinged with close to 180C. Anther shape:            Oblong. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close            to 21B. Amount of pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to            N25A. Gynoecium: Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Style length:            About 7 mm. Style color: Close to 180B. Stigma diameter:            About 9 mm. Stigma color: Close to 23A and at the center,            close to 180B. Ovary color: Close to 145A. Fruits and seeds:            To date, fruit and seed development have not been observed            on plants of the new Portulaca.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Portulaca have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures ranging    from about 2° C. to about 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA    Hardiness Zone 11.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Portulaca    have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Portulaca plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Portulaca plant named ‘POR16000’ asillustrated and described.